Application of cohesive element approach to analysis of delamination buckling and propagation in honeycomb panels

The cohesive element approach is proposed as a tool for simulating delamination propagation between a facesheet and a core in a honeycomb core composite panel. The cohesive model has two parameters (critical energy release rate (G_c ) and tensile strength (σ_c )), and the parameters are selected from the experiments. The proposed model is validated by simulating the 914 × 914 mm (36 × 36 in.) debond panel experiment under edge compression loading. It is concluded that the cohesive element approach can predict delamination propagation of a honeycomb panel with reasonable accuracy.